NEED TO KNOW
- Chief Warrant Officer 2 Dustin K. Wright, 40, was killed in an Army training exercise at Fort Campbell on June 11
- An Army pilot who was also training sustained minor injuries and was released from the hospital later that night
- The incident remains under investigation
A helicopter training incident at Fort Campbell has left one soldier dead and another injured, according to the U.S. Army.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Dustin K. Wright, 40, died as a result of wounds from an AH-64 Apache helicopter training accident on June 11, the 101st Airborne Division confirmed in a Facebook post on Friday, June 13.
The other soldier, identified only as a pilot, sustained minor injuries. He was immediately evacuated to the Blanchfield Army Community Hospital in Tennessee and was later released the night of the incident.
Fort Campbell is a U.S. Army installation that extends across the Kentucky–Tennessee border.
“The entire 101st Combat Aviation Brigade grieves the loss of CW2 Dustin Wright,” said Col. Tyler Partridge, commander, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Div.
“A former Infantryman, Dustin cherished every opportunity to be outside and support ground troops. He did so with strength and honor. We will forever cherish the memories of his service, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of all who knew him,” Partridge added.
“No matter how it happens, when we lose someone who has committed to serving our country, I know it hurts that family but it should hurt us all,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday, June 12, the Associated Press reported.
Kentucky State Sen. Craig Richardson added, “This tragedy is a solemn reminder that the dangers our military faces are not limited to distant battlefields. The call to serve brings risks at home, in training, preparation, and quiet readiness.”
Wright joined the Army in 2010 and began his career at Fort Campbell in May 2022.
His awards and decorations include the Air Medal with “C” Device, the Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Army Aviator Badge, the Army Parachutist Badge, and the Army Pathfinder Badge.
The 101st Airborne Division is the only air assault division of the U.S. Army, according to its website.
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They earned the nickname “Screaming Eagles” by demonstrating the highest standards of military professionalism since their activation at one minute after midnight, Aug. 16, 1942.
In 2023, a helicopter training left nine soldiers of the 101st Airborne dead when two HH-60 Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopters crashed into one, according to The New York Times.
The cause of last week’s accident is under investigation.
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